Deadline deals: Southeast Division

After the Winter Olympics end, NHL teams will have just three days to tweak their rosters ahead of the March 3 trade deadline. Insider has linked ESPN The Magazine's E.J. Hradek with the metric-heads over at Puck Prospectus to evaluate every team's roster and the surrounding whispers from NHL Rumor Central. This is how your team could improve for a run at the playoffs, the Stanley Cup … or for next season.

Click on another division to see Insider's breakdowns for the rest of the NHL.
Atlantic | Northeast | Southeast | Central | Northwest | Pacific

Washington Capitals

What do you get for the team that seems to have everything? That's the question for Caps GM George McPhee. No, the Capitals aren't perfect. How can you be under a salary-cap system? But they've scored 70 more goals than they've allowed. That's pretty damn close to perfect in this league at this time.

If McPhee could find that clear-cut veteran goaltending upgrade, he might pull the trigger. I don't think that kind of upgrade is out there for him.

At this point, McPhee might be best-suited to add a dash of experience -- a player who has played in some big games. It would have to be a good fit, though. The Caps seem to have a pretty strong locker room. In the end, McPhee just might be wise to leave well enough alone. -- E.J. Hradek

To see which blueliner the Caps should add before the March 3 trade deadline and what the Thrashers' plan should be post-Ilya Kovalchuk, you must be an ESPN Insider.

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E.J. Hradek

Senior Writer, ESPN The Magazine

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E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989.